Great Gear

Special Report 1: Craftsmanship a (1x22)

Data di messa in onda: Ott 17, 2012

Special Report 1: Craftsmanship a "Clip" Above the Rest In our first segment, we visit a metal forging company specialized in manufacturing beautiful nail clippers. Let's check out their amazing craftsmanship as well as their unique way of doing business. This company's main product is a pair of plier-style nail clippers. Its steel has been carefully selected and worked by skilled craftspeople, creating a fine cutting instrument. The company's products have received a good reputation from England or Germany, countries with long traditions of fine blades work. On site at their factory, the work area is completely enclosed in glass so that visitors can see the craftspeople work through the windows. The 3rd generation owner of the company decided to make the factory an open one because craftspeople skill is the result of decades of work and he wanted to show people their dedication to their work and the essence behind the products. Special Report 3: Ironware Teapots Straight Out of History In our final segment, we head to Iwate Prefecture, which has been producing a type of ironware known as Nambu Tekki for around 400 years. We take a look at their efforts in reviving a traditional industry. Nanbu ironware came from the Nanbu clan feudal lord's efforts to spread tea ceremony to educate the residents of his territory. It all started when the lord called over a kettle maker from Kyoto to make one for use in tea ceremony. The technique of ironware making is designated as one of Japan's representative traditional crafts. Iwachu, the top Nanbu ironware maker boasts a lineup of over 1800 different kinds of products. The majority of the ones made for the domestic market are black or dark brown, but these colorful ones are favored in Europe and the United States. The company is hoping to raise interest and the status of Nanbu ironware within Japan by promoting its use overseas. Special Report 2: Speakers that Really "Rock" Then for our second segment, we move to the island of Shikoku where we find out why and how a craftsman uses natural stones to produce stereo speakers. This unique speaker is named AZIS CUE360. The name, AZIS, is derived from Aji stone - the name of the stone used for the speakers. Aji stone is highly valuable as it can only be quarried in Aji city in Kagawa Prefecture. The owner of this quarry and developer of AZIS wanted to find ways to make use of the stone indoors. Much of the work at the quarry still relies on manpower and experience. It is a place of severe working conditions - scorched by the sun in the summer, and hit by frigid winds from the sea in the winter.